80
In a breezy chat, the quartet are mostly unwilling to dwell on unpleasant subjects, so Michell uses archive footage to spell out the subtext.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
90
Tea With the Dames, from director Roger Michell (“Notting Hill”), is as cozy and satisfying as its title suggests.
90
The New York Times by Glenn Kenny
I would not have minded a bit if the dames were given twice the amount of time this trim film allowed.
80
A wholly delightful talkathon.
88
It’s all immensely entertaining, revealing, and moving—especially the occasional silences, when they sit comfortably together and the shared years fill the open space.
88
RogerEbert.com by Matt Fagerholm
Michell’s film allows us the privilege to spend an unscripted hour or so with the four acting goddesses during their routine visit to Plowright’s home in the English countryside, and though our time with them is brief, the very thought of our world existing in their absence is almost unbearable.
100
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
I would have loved to hear a discussion on a wider range of issues, particularly #TimesUp, but with a film this much fun, it seems churlish to ask for anything else.
80
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
It’s delicious — sweet, tart, surprisingly moving and funny as hell.
100
Unrehearsed, spontaneous and off-the-cuff, they don’t hold back, their fearless charm is relaxed and effortless, and the relentless candor is enchanting. The result is 83 minutes of bliss spent with four Dames who know the difference between truth and illusion, and generously give a great deal of both. In Tea with the Dames, boredom is not an option.
88
In a perfect world, Tea With the Dames could be a series. Let us be flies on the wall for this posse’s weekly gathering for tea and convivial cackling. And I say this with the delighted surety that they would tell anyone who proposed this idea to go straight to hell.